ZO Skin Health
What’s Life, without a Wrinkle or Two??
Hands with age spots and wrinkles… are you concerned about them, or proud of them? Here’s something to think about–it was sent to us by one of our friends. We hope you’ll enjoy:
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Grandma, 90+ years old, sat on the patio bench. She didn’t move… just sat with her head down and stared at her hands.
Finally, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. ”I’m fine,” she said. ”Have you ever really looked at your hands–I mean, really looked at them?”
No, I guess that I never had.
Grandma then smiled and told this story:
“My hands, though wrinkled and shriveled, have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and embrace life. They caught my fall when, as a toddler, I crashed to the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. My mother told me to fold them when I prayed. They tied my shoes. They held my husband, and wiped the tears from my face when he went off to fight in World War II.
“When I was engaged, they wore a diamond–and I thought that it was the most beautiful ring in the world. When I first held my baby, they were clumsy and awkward. Soon they learned to hold all of my children, and eventually, my grandchildren. They shook when I buried my parents, and they trembled when I buried my husband.
“They have covered my face, combed my hair, wiped babies’ bottoms–more times than I can count. And to this day, when not much of me works the way that it used to–my hands still know how to dry a tear and fold in prayer. These hands tell the story of my life. And someday, God will reach out to these hands when he takes me away.”
Now, when I look at my own aging hands, I remember my grandmother. And I hope that my hands will someday will have lines and wrinkles that tell the story of a rich and wonderful life.
deborah
TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME
Remember the scene in “Home Alone” when the mother sits back in her airplane seat and finally takes a moment to relax before departing on her Christmas vacation?
She feels so relieved after packing all the presents, getting all the kids through baggage security and fitting her carry-on in the overhead compartment. Then it hits her like a UFC punch: She forgot one crucial, blonde-haired, 8-year-old item.
You’ve likely had an equally alarming oversight with your skincare regime.
So caught up with the damage control above your neckline, you forgot all about the other two body parts that sing your age like a canary if you don’t properly care for them: YOUR HANDS.
Yes, your hands. You know, the things you use to punctuate a lively story, greet people for the first time, exchange money, make a toast, break bread, hold your steering wheel, check the time and well, do just about every other human function?
We realize your face is your face, but your hands attract their fair share of attention, too. And, if you don’t care for them properly, you may as well add 10 years to your birth date and tattoo it across each finger.
That’s exactly why Dr. Zein Obagi created our 3-step Oraser Anti-Aging Hand Care Program. Take a look at the kit and decide if your situation requires all three products or if you can get away with just coupling two. Who knows, maybe your hands just started showing signs of aging and you only need to use one independently. That’s for you to decide.
Designed to correct the damage that’s already been done and to prevent future damage, the products will make it look like you never experienced that panic-stricken moment of realizing you overlooked your hands. And, it’s never too late to get started. Let’s face it, you can’t get away with gloves year-round.
ZO Skin Health
If you follow all the rules, you miss all of the fun.
I like that expression–”if you follow all of the rules, you miss all the fun”. To a certain extent, that’s the way I’ve lived my life.
So I like it when people do their research, follow package directions, but ultimately–change things a little and do what’s right for them. Sometimes, when it comes to skin care, I learn a lot from those people.
That was the case with a blog that came to my attention–from Diva Debbi. On her blog, she rated Oraser Daily Hand Repair as “one of 2009′s Top Beauty Faves”. That was nice, but it’s even more interesting what she said about it. She said:
ZO Skin Health’s Oraser Daily Hand Repair is part of a trio of hand repair products. Despite wasting the SPF 20 while I sleep, the day version is richer and more emollient than the night, so I use this one twice a day. Packed with retinol, vitamins and anti-oxidants, this hand cream truly lifts away dark spots, plumps wrinkles, improves elasticity and softens cuticles. Nothing gives your age away faster than old looking hands. Worth every cent of the 6500 pennies it costs…and yes, I’ve contemplated using it on my face…many times.
Wearing a hand repair lotion on your face? I’ve reviewed the formula, and it does contain good anti-aging ingredients that would work well for your face. I personally prefer SPF’s of at least 30, though, for your face. But darn, you’re right… I’m glad that you’re an independent thinker and realize that a day hand cream can work perfectly well at night. It will even work for your face (provided it’s not too heavy!) There’s nothing in the formula that would cause any contraindication.
ZO Skin Health
If you want to look younger, hold up your hands.
At about age 35, your hands begin to make you look older. Then, wham! Wrinkles, age spots, loss of elasticity, protruding veins.
In fact, 68% of women claim that their hands make them look at least 10 years older (if you’re in the 32%, you don’t need to read any further).
So why do most hand lotions fall short?
Tip: As we get older, the skin on our hands begins to thin. Because there’s so little fat and muscle in our hands, the bones, wrinkles, veins all begin to show. You need to thicken the skin on your hands—and retinol is the best ingredient for that. Retinol is the only ingredient proven to work on intrinsic (not environmental) damage. So why don’t most companies put in retinol? It’s expensive.
Tip: Your hands are covered with up to 30 layers of dead skin—called the stratum corneum. Occasionally you need to exfoliate all of this dead skin so that the active ingredients can penetrate the epidermis, and to make your hands soft and smooth. At least once a week use a good scrub to polish your hands. Try the ZO Skin Health™ Oraser™ Microderm Hand Renewal, or mix sea salts in an acidic base (like lemon juice).
Tip: Fragrances like “peppermint kiss” may be nice for your nose, but don’t do a darn thing for your hands. Look for ingredients that really mean something—like:
- Shea butter (it moisturizes and protects, and is particularly beneficial for sun-exposed skin).
- Retinol (it boosts cellular turnover and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, plus it reduces hyperpigmentation—aka sun spots)
- Sunscreen with an SPF15+. UV rays are your skin’s worst enemy. Wear it every day!
That’s what we mean by “no frou-frou skin care.” Our anti-aging hand lotions aren’t loaded with the namby-pamby stuff. Just high concentrations of active ingredients.
One woman that I spoke with told me that she doesn’t worry about how old her hands look—she just sits on them! She meant to be funny, but hands that make you look older are no joke.
